This invention relates to packaged strands. In one of its more specific aspects, this invention relates to packaged strand which is maintained in packaged form as the strand is drawn therefrom.
Various systems for packaging strand have been disclosed in the prior art.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,220,295, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a package of strand around which an elastic membrane is wound, the membrane being of sufficient thickness and sufficiently stretched to partially collapse as the strand is withdrawn from the interior of the body. During the withdrawal, the membrane frictionally captures the strand of the outer cylindrical portion of the package to retain the strand in contact with the membrane until the strand is withdrawn to substantial elimination of the package.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,300,734, the disclosure of which is also incorporated herein by reference, is similarly directed. In that package, the membrane is convolutely wound about the cylindrical portion of the package in one or in a plurality of plies, and a control layer of material having different physical characteristics, for example, paper, polymer or fibrous glass, is positioned between the plies of the membrane, to limit the collapse of the membrane to a predetermined amount.
Both of these packages and packaging methods have found wide acceptance in industry. However, at temperatures above 90.degree. F. the exterior membrane in which the package is wrapped tends to relax with the result that the strand being withdrawn tends to birdnest and become entangled in the guide eye.
This invention is directed to the solution of that problem.